The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-12-30
MY LITTLE PREACHER.

|
| MY LITTLE PREACHER.
| "
| | was lately visiting 4 friends house
and their fair-faced, curly-haired little
child and | soon become warm friends,
| My heart went out to her at our first meet
| ing.
"Well. my little dear. are you for tenn
perance?" asked her one day, as | drew
her to my side
SO, no, sill, she promptly replied, "not
temperance. Papa is temperance but
mamma and are total abstinence.
''What do You mean?' asked, in sur
prise.
"Why, papa takes a little bit once in
awhile, :" she said; "only once in awhile, :"
she, added, as if by way of apology, and
he says that's temperance; and my brother
my big brother Georges intemper-
ance; and mamma says the only safe way
is taste not, touch not. SO, she's total alb
stinence, and go with mamma"
This little bit OF family history felt as
if had obtained in an underhand manner,
and was almost sorry / had said a word to
the child; bnt the fearless expression of
her sentiments gave me gladness ofheart
that made up for that 1t was good to
hear such an out and ont profession of
principle, and, in one so yonug, it was
very pleasing.
eyes" said /, 81 think myself that total
abstinence is the only safe way If We
once begin doing wrong we can't tell
where we shall stop"
''But we've no business ever to do
wrong" said Bertha. "Mamma says II we
could stop halfway, as we'll as not, that
wouldn't be any excuse for our doing
wrong little. She says we musn't ever
do single thing that's wrong,
"Bnt some people don't think drinking
a glass of wine wrong, said
She thought awhile as though she hard
ly knew what to answer. ''But it leads
into wrong way, doesn't it?' she asked
at length.
"les.''
eff my father told me not to go out
doors, wouldn't it be naughty for me 10
open the door and look ont?"
81 think it wonld"
Mamma says when we are tempted to
do wrong we must turn our backs against
the temptation, not to stop and look at it,
and say, ooh, how nice that would bel ]
wish could do it,
was amazed to hear the child talk so
wisely, but | knew what a noble, wise
mother she had, and how carefully she
had been taught.
80 you think temperance means to rse
the drink once in while, and never too
much," / said. willing to hear her talk
longer
Papa says so, but that isn't what the
catechism says at school. That says tenn
perance means to use good things moder-
ately, but net to use bad things at all. l
suppose papa thinks wine is good; that's
the trouble, she said speaking low.
Cant yoa coax him to think differ
ently9"
NO. silc Sstlu L We tried. teOfSe
drinks too much, and father scolds him;
and said to papa the other day IF wine
is good, how can it hurt George 500 But
he said wasn't old enough to under
stand"
How old are you?"
Tin nine last June, and | go to tenn
perance school and belong to the Band of
Hope and go to temperance prayer-meet-
ings with mother; and | can't see hat one
right way"
whats that?".
why, to let the drink all alone, don't
you see? Then, if nobody drank it at all,
why, nobody would sell it, and nobody
would have 10 make it, and there wouldn't
be any in the world anywhere Wouldn't
that be niece she asked, in bright,
CHEEKY voice, looking up into my face.
"You dear little total abstainer!' sad /,
catching her mp i'll my arms, and kissing
her, chow | wish that every body was like
your
''NoI a taste and not a touch
No danger then you see,
That we should ever take TOO much
And Ioathsome drnnkards be j"
- Grandpa, in Temperance Banner